Civita di Bagnoregio

History

Civita di Bagnoregio was founded by the Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago. Formerly there were five city gates to access the ancient town of Civita, nowadays instead, Porta Santa Maria (known as Porta Cava, as well) is the main gateway of the city. It is also possible to enter the town of Civita from the badlands valley through a tunnel carved into the rock. The layout of the whole town is of Etruscan origin, based on a cardo and decumanus orthogonal street system according to the Etruscan and Roman use, while the entire architectural cladding is of medieval and Renaissance origin. There are numerous traces of Etruscan civilisation in Civita, especially in the San Francesco Vecchio area: a little Etruscan necropolis was found in the cliff located in the area below Belvedere di San Francesco Vecchio. The cave of St Bonaventure (where it is said that Saint Francis healed the little Giovanni Fidanza, who later became Saint Bonaventure) is also an Etruscan chamber tomb. The Etruscans made Civita (whose original name is unknown) a flourishing city, thanks to its strategic position favourable for trade and thanks to its proximity to the most important communication routes of the times. Many traces of the Etruscan period are still suggestive spots: the so-called Bucaione, for example, is a deep tunnel that goes through the lowest part of the city and gives access to badlands valley directly from the town. In the past, many chamber tombs were visible. They were dug at the base of Civita's cliff and nearby tuff walls and, over the centuries, they were destroyed by several rockfalls. Indeed, the Etruscans themselves had to face problems of seismic activity and instability, like the earthquake of 280 BC. When the Romans arrived in 265 BC, they took up and carried on the…

Most-observed species

• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  642
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  549
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  546
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  544
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  481
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  480
• Eurasian Blackcap

  Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  475
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  468

Most recent

• M 4.2 — 2026-05-23
  4 km WSW of Bolognola, Italy
• M 4.2 — 2025-09-20
  4 km SSE of San Terenziano, Italy
• M 3.2 — 2025-03-04
  3 km S of Bevagna, Italy
• M 4.2 — 2023-03-09
  4 km S of Umbertide, Italy
• M 4.5 — 2023-03-09
  2 km S of Umbertide, Italy
• M 4.3 — 2023-03-09
  4 km SW of Umbertide, Italy